Scarecrow

T H E S C A R E C R O W S T O R Y
The Scarecrow story begins in a patch of earth with a fabled past. The J.J. Cohn Estate, where Scarecrow
grapes are born, borders what was once the legendary vineyard of Inglenook winemaker Gustave Niebaum,
whose plantings blanketed more than 1,000 acres of the Napa Valley at the close of the 19th century.
John Daniel Jr. took the helm at Inglenook in 1939, determined to restore the label to pre-Prohibition
standing and produce world-class Bordeaux-style wines. In 1945, Daniel convinced his neighbor, J.J.
Cohn, to plant eighty acres of Cabernet vines on the 180-acre parcel Cohn had purchased a few years
prior. The property served as a summer retreat for Cohn’s wife and their family. He had no ambitions to
become a winemaker himself, but Daniel promised to buy his grapes, so Cohn planted vines. The rest, as
they say, is history.
J.J. Cohn fruit figured prominently in Inglenook’s superlative Cabernet Sauvignons of the post-war era,
and has more recently gone Read more »

T H E S C A R E C R O W S T O R Y
The Scarecrow story begins in a patch of earth with a fabled past. The J.J. Cohn Estate, where Scarecrow
grapes are born, borders what was once the legendary vineyard of Inglenook winemaker Gustave Niebaum,
whose plantings blanketed more than 1,000 acres of the Napa Valley at the close of the 19th century.
John Daniel Jr. took the helm at Inglenook in 1939, determined to restore the label to pre-Prohibition
standing and produce world-class Bordeaux-style wines. In 1945, Daniel convinced his neighbor, J.J.
Cohn, to plant eighty acres of Cabernet vines on the 180-acre parcel Cohn had purchased a few years
prior. The property served as a summer retreat for Cohn’s wife and their family. He had no ambitions to
become a winemaker himself, but Daniel promised to buy his grapes, so Cohn planted vines. The rest, as
they say, is history.
J.J. Cohn fruit figured prominently in Inglenook’s superlative Cabernet Sauvignons of the post-war era,
and has more recently gone into wines of such renown as Opus One, Niebaum-Coppola, Duckhorn,
Insignia and Etude.
J.J. Cohn Estate grapes are highly sought-after in part because Cohn bucked the trend, begun in the mid-
1960s, of replacing vines planted on St. George rootstock with the supposedly superior AxR#I hybrid.
Over time, vines grafted onto this new stock proved highly vulnerable to phylloxera. But by then, virtually
all of the old St. George vines in Napa had been destroyed. Only the original 1945 J.J. Cohn vines
survived. These highly prized “Old Men” continue to produce uncommonly rich fruit—the hallmark of
Scarecrow wine.
But the Scarecrow story doesn’t end there. This is more than a tale of enchanted ground and the exceptional
wine that flows out of it. The Scarecrow story is a story, too, of an extraordinary family legacy. Joseph
Judson Cohn was born in Harlem in 1895 to Russian immigrants. Cohn spent his childhood in dire
poverty and never learned to prefer the taste of fresh bread over stale—even after he’d found great success
in Hollywood.
A move west in the 1920s launched Cohn’s studio career. Highly resourceful and extremely capable, Cohn
began as a bookkeeper, distinguished himself early and rose quickly through the ranks to become Chief of
Production at MGM. His unofficial credo, “Nothing is impossible,” became the motto of his MGM staff.
They knew him as a man who simply refused to take “No” for an answer.During Hollywood’s golden age, Cohn was instrumental in the making of such film classics as Ben Hur,
Gigi, Mutiny on the Bounty and, most beloved of all, The Wizard of Oz. Today, the Scarecrow label pays
tribute to the endearing and indomitable character from that film. Scarecrow evokes a distinctly American
agricultural icon and American optimism. And most importantly, Scarecrow honors the remarkable life
of J.J. Cohn.
Cohn lived to be 100 years old, spanning a defining century that he helped to shape. The people who
labor with passion and conviction to bring you Scarecrow wine are proud to be part of his living legacy.
– Description from
JelaDragoljevic(hide)

People getting updates on
Scarecrow Winery

Happy Halloween, wine lover! This hallowed holiday isn't just for kids. ... left the porch lights on. A scarecrow was placed on a lawn chair in front of their house with a big bowl of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups on its lap and a sign that said something to the effect of “Please Only Take One”. Well, being an immature child with an out of contro...
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Hi everyone! I am looking to sell this wine but am having a hard time ... ... of money. It is a 2007 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. They seem to be in mint condition as well. I have two bottles of these.If anyone is interested, please let me know. Or if you know of anywhere or anything i can do to sell this, that would be grea...
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DMC- the scarecrow just blows in the wind and has a kite-like tail. There were 3 of them about 20 yds apart and just in one area. Never saw that before. And the grapes are ready it seems. I tasted them.
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"Pinotage despite the name and heritage is NOTHING like Pinot ... ... region? It's a not like Scarecrow.Anyway, moving off the distasteful subject of Pinot Noir and thinking about what to open tonight, Mencia was my first thought but this thread reminded me of some Barbera that needs to be disposed of, so that's what I'm off to.&nbs
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It's interesting that a few new topics have popped up recently (Experiencing Cabernet Franc for one) and that my wife Sandra just today handed me an article by Dave McIntyre she cut out of a Washington Post newspaper dated 25 March 2015. I'm starting this new topic based on this article "The wine cost four digits. And the taste?" regarding the...
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